Indholdsfortegnelse for 2025-02-10 i Mercury

I REFER to your January 31 edition: “Gig economy shows decline in trade unionism”. Just because there’s a decline in trade unionism it certainly does not mean that it is bad. Throughout the world with the advent of AI and the new structure of work, we find the gig economy growing and thriving. Whenever I travel and I speak to workers in other jurisdictions, all of them tell me they have at least one extra “side hustle”. No longer is it just a relationship between employer and employee and/or the relationship between capital and labour. We now have more and more people working for themselves as, especially in South Africa, employment has dropped. I would strongly encourage every person who needs a job to at least take on something…

Here, where we live in the US, my sons are nervous about driving “Driving while Black”. The need for such awareness is not limited to driving. I ache when they are told they “don’t speak Black” or I am told “Your sons are so articulate, even though…” It’s most unsettling when major retail outlets profile my sons. Both, and on separate occasions, have been trailed around a store as they shopped. When I intervened I was given the once over, asked who I am. On one occasion I had to ask the management, “Have you ever heard of adoption?” Following one encounter I got calls from the outlet’s head office from a woman who all but pleaded with me not to sue. She’d watched the store’s security camera footage and…

Local truck drivers say the employment of foreign nationals by South African trucking companies remains a significant challenge, despite years of work to address this issue amid destructive protests that have caused millions of rand in property damage. One of the unions for the truck drivers now wants a meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa. Between 2021 and 2024, there have been numerous truck attack incidents along the N3 route where trucks were set alight. In 2023, one incident at Van Reenen’s Pass saw several trucks burned, with damage estimated at R80 million. In response to the complaints by local drivers and truck attacks in recent years, the government formed multidisciplinary task teams in a bid to ensure labour law compliance within the industry and to address local drivers’ grievances. A…

In advocating for the protection of African penguins from extinction, BirdLife South Africa and the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob), will head to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, next month in a landmark case. The organisations, represented by the Biodiversity Law Centre, have hauled the minister responsible for the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) to court. This comes after former minister Barbara Creecy announced the continuation of “interim closures” around breeding colonies at Dassen Island, Robben Island, Stony Point, Dyer Island, St Croix Island and Bird Island in August 2023. The organisations want the court to review and set aside the minister’s decision as they argue that the island closures at six breeding colonies are inadequate, “not biologically meaningful”, and the decision…

The General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (Giwusa) has raised concerns over the findings of the latest Household Affordability Index report, which reveals that the average South African worker spends over 57% of their monthly earnings on transport and electricity. The union said these shocking statistics highlighted the cost-of-living crisis facing its members and the broader working-class community. “The fact that this crisis has deepened since the so-called ‘New Dawn’ around President Cyril Ramaphosa and continues unabated during GNU (Government of National Unity) is a damning indictment of the current president and his administration. It graphically reveals the bankruptcy of the neoliberal policies he has doubled down on.” “Not only are the plans in his State of the Nation Address (Sona) doomed to fail to curtail the cost-of-living…

Three suspects were killed in a shootout with police in Bhambayi, Inanda, on Saturday afternoon, as Premier Thami Ntuli vowed that there was going to be an end to crime in Inanda. According to KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda: “Five suspects were cornered inside a house, and upon realising the presence of the police, they opened fire. Police returned fire, leading to a shootout in which three suspects were fatally wounded.” Two suspects escaped. “These suspects are also believed to be responsible for the recent murders of four people, including two off-duty police officers, as well as the attempted murder of four others at a tavern in Sundumbili on January 4,” Netshiunda added. Ntuli reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to fighting crime through the newly established Provincial Council Against Crime…

Two female police officers have been charged with assault after they allegedly attacked a woman who called on police for help in a domestic dispute. Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) spokesperson Lizzy Suping said the incident occurred in Heidedal last month and the two officers were arrested on Thursday. The incident sparked an outcry after a video showing the assault went viral on social media. “The victim allegedly wanted the police to intervene after her boyfriend violated a protection order,” said Suping. “An argument allegedly ensued between the victim and the two female police officers and she was allegedly assaulted. She later reported the incident to Ipid and the case is under investigation.”…

JUST leave it to President Cyril Ramaphosa to personify the contradictions of empathy and compassion, interaction and co-operation. When he delivered his State of the Nation (Sona) on February 6, he repeated his call “on all South Africans, united in our diversity, to come together in the National Dialogue to define a vision for our country for the next 30 years”. That was the same call he made in 2024 in his inauguration speech, Sona, and on other occasions. Ramaphosa spoke sense. He told the nation: “The National Dialogue must be a place where everyone has a voice, … a place to find solutions that make a real difference in people’s lives, … must reaffirm that each and every one of us has a role to play in building the…

Namibia’s founding father Sam Nujoma, who led his country’s fight for independence from South Africa, died at the weekend aged 95, the presidency announced. Nujoma had been hospitalised over the past three weeks, battling an illness from which he “could not recover”, President Nangolo Mbumba said yesterday. With the “utmost sorrow and sadness” Mbumba said he was announcing “the passing of our revered freedom fighter and revolutionary leader”. “Our founding father lived a long and consequential life during which he exceptionally served the people of his beloved country,” he added. Born to poor farmers from the Ovambo tribe, Nujoma was the eldest of 10 children. He took a job as a railway sweeper near Windhoek in 1949 while attending night classes. There, he met Herero tribal chief Hosea Kutako who…

The families of Thai farm workers held hostage in Gaza for over a year wept with joy and hugged their loved ones as they arrived in Bangkok yesterday. The five Thais smiled as they walked into the arrivals hall at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport after being freed on January 30, as part of a ceasefire deal aimed at ending the Gaza war. The five – Watchara Sriaoun, Pongsak Tanna, Sathian Suwannakham, Surasak Lamnau and Bannawat Saethao – were met by a small group of overjoyed relatives. | AFP…

BAMAKO: Mali’s army vowed at the weekend to track down the “terrorists” responsible for a deadly attack on a large convoy en route to a gold mine. Soldiers and Wagner mercenaries were escorting a group of mainly foreign civilians to the mine in northern Mali when they were ambushed at the weekend by armed assailants, according to local officials. The attackers struck when the convoy of several dozen vehicles was making its way through the village of Kobe in a region where Al-Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates are known to operate and several attacks have taken place in recent months. “During the fighting, the terrorists deliberately targeted civilian passengers,” the Malian army general staff said. A local politician who spoke on condition of anonymity put the death toll at “32…

Remarks made by President Cyril Ramaphosa about eThekwini during his State of the Nation Address (Sona) suggest a lack of awareness regarding the current challenges facing the city. The DA in KwaZulu-Natal is therefore urging the president to visit communities to gain a clearer understanding of the true state of the city. While we welcome the Presidential eThekwini Working Group and the removal of the former mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, there is still no change on the ground. If anything, it has regressed. Although the president seems to think everything is in order, “Rome continues to burn.” Residents across the city are faced with constant water outages. The water tanker service that the City provides is marred with allegations of sabotage and corruption. A select few, those that are politically connected…

THERE are some things in life that bring one immense joy, albeit temporarily at times. I am yet to taste the euphoria of a Lotto/Powerball win, despite being a regular player, but am prepared to wait until the wheel spins the numbers my way. However, there are other ways to feel and experience joy, be it through sport, spirituality, or community work, where uplifting the poor and downtrodden evokes that inner contentment. For me, a visit to the Bangladesh Market in Westcliff, Chatsworth, on Saturday, swelled my heart. As one enters the market, the vendors assail you with their special offers, be it UTD (up to date potatoes), tomatoes, a variety of herbs, spices, or “mielies 3 for R25”. Amid the cacophony, there is a sense of togetherness, as the…

Donald Trump has been accused of shooting a protected species of duck, according to Sky News. But this is not Donald Trump, President of the US. It’s Donald Trump junior, son of the president. An Italian politician has filed a criminal complaint after Donald Trump jr allegedly killed a protected species of duck while on a hunting trip in the Venice lagoon. Andrea Zanoni, of the Green Europe Party, told Sky News he had notified the environmental crime unit in Mestre. He claimed Trump Jr hunted and killed a protected species of bird in Campagna Lupia, a town in the province of Venice, last December. “The US president’s son killed a protected species in a protected natural area, and this is a serious criminal offence,” Zanoni said. “No one should…

President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to send a high-powered delegation to Washington to negotiate with US President Donald Trump. The move comes after Trump signed an executive order halting all aid and assistance to South Africa, citing claims of “race-based discrimination” against Afrikaners, such as the country’s Expropriation Act. Some believe that Trump’s decision is linked to Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service, which so far has been denied a licence to operate in South Africa due to its refusal to follow the country’s black economic empowerment (BEE) laws. Musk, who has close ties with Trump, is reportedly using his influence to pressure the SA government to relax its BEE requirements. The delegation to Washington is expected to include senior government officials and business leaders, who will attempt to persuade Trump…

The SAPS has reported that it is investigating an incident of preferential treatment after corruption and money laundering accused Louis Liebenberg was seen kissing his wife, Dezzi Liebenberg, after emerging from a police van. Last Tuesday, Liebenberg appeared before the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court along with his wife and seven co-accused. The case was postponed to July 8.Liebenberg is expected to apply for bail on February 25. The accused face 42 charges including fraud, theft, racketeering and money laundering. In a video that has gone viral on social media, Liebenberg is seen emerging from the back of a police vehicle with his wife waiting for him outside a police station. They embrace and share a kiss. SAPS spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said the SAPS has taken note of a video depicting alleged…

Western Cape police have arrested three men who were allegedly caught in the act while attempting to sell uncut diamonds in Cape Town. The three are expected to appear in court soon. Western Cape police spokesperson Captain Frederick van Wyk said police received a tip-off about a possible deal taking place at a property in Elsies River. “The three males tried to sell four uncut diamonds to the buyer,” Van Wyk said. The suspects were arrested for the illegal possession of uncut diamonds and fraud. “The members seized a diamond tester and the diamonds with an estimated value of about R60 000.” In a separate incident, police conducted a search on shops in the Bellville CBD where 5 861 illicit tobacco products with an street value of more than R250…

A MOTHER who had murdered her three-year-old daughter – who was severely tortured by her parents over a long time and who eventually died when her mother gave her a blow to the head – has had her sentence of life imprisonment reduced to 15 years. On appeal, three judges of the Gauteng High Court said while they did not condone what the mother had done to her child, the judge who sentenced her in 2019 failed to substantiate why he imposed the maximum sentence. Welmarie Smith, who was 39 when she was sentenced, also received a further 25 years imprisonment for the prolonged assault of her daughter. But on appeal, the court substituted this with a five-year sentence. Her former husband, Willem Smith, little Nicole’s father, was convicted of…

The ANC Youth League elective conference in KwaZulu-Natal could be postponed again without electing new leadership. The conference was scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in Durban but by around 5pm yesterday it had not started. The leadership spent a whole day in a meeting still trying to resolve delegates’ credentials, according to a delegate from the South Coast. The delegate, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that among the issues was that the names of some of the delegates from the Tolomane Mnyauza region (formerly known as Ugu) on the South Coast were not on the list of delegates. It is not clear whether the league will still be able to elect the new leadership. Kwanda Zungu, a provincial task team spokesperson, said he was still locked in…

In a world increasingly polarised by division and rhetoric, it is heartening to witness the steadfast commitment of white South Africans to their country, particularly in the wake of recent executive orders issued by US President Donald Trump. These orders aimed to sow discord and promote separation, but instead, they have evoked a powerful and united response from a significant segment of our population, demonstrating that we are all South Africans striving for a brighter future. The actions of white South Africans who have taken to social media to express their unwavering support for our country reveal a collective consciousness that transcends racial and cultural divides. Their resolute desire to remain in South Africa, rejecting the notion of emigration to the US as refugees as suggested by Trump and billionaire…

The three Baltic states at the weekend seamlessly cut ties with Russia’s power grid to integrate with the EU’s network, a switch that gained urgency with Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – small EU and Nato members once part of the Soviet Union – had planned the change for years but sped up the process after Russia’s full-scale Ukraine invasion. The war launched in February 2022 triggered fear in the Baltics that they could be targeted next. The staunch Ukraine supporters also worried that Russia would blackmail them using the electricity system. “We are safe because we have disconnected from the Russian grid,” Nerijus Cesiulis, mayor of the southern Lithuanian city of Alytus, said. He added it was important to avoid a repeat of incidents “like those…

More than 100 Palestinians freed into Gaza at the weekend returned to the territory to find it rendered unrecognisable by 15 months of war, while for many the fate of their loved ones was unknown. “How is my family? Are they still alive?” one prisoner asked, calling out from a bus window as prisoners arrived in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. “Have there been martyrs in my family?” he shouted again before a voice in the crowd responded. “They are all ok,” came the reply. In total, 183 Palestinians were released from Israeli prisons at the weekend in exchange for three Israelis held in Gaza in the fifth such swap as part of an ongoing ceasefire in Gaza. Of those released, 41 returned to the West Bank city…

PORTO: Ismaili Muslims said a last goodbye at the weekend to their late spiritual leader, Aga Khan IV, at a private funeral ceremony in Lisbon attended by dignitaries and foreign leaders. Prince Karim al-Husseini, 88, died last week. He was regarded as a direct descendent of the Prophet Mohammed and enjoyed near divine status as the 49th hereditary imam of the Ismaili Nizaris, a branch of Shia Islam. The private ceremony at the Ismaili community centre in Lisbon was attended by more than 300 guests, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and former Spanish king Juan Carlos I. Aga Khan IV died in the Portuguese capital, where he had established the global headquarters of the Ismaili Shias in 2015. He held British and Portuguese…

SIEM REAP: Hundreds of people, armed with traditional fishing gear such as woven bamboo traps and nylon nets, waded in thigh-deep muddy waters in a natural lake yesterday to catch fish in a fish-catching ceremony. Held at a protected big lake in Bangkoang village in Siem Reap, the ceremony is held every year in February after the rice harvest season. At the event, villagers netted freshwater snakefish, catfish and climbing perch fish among others, as some grilled the catch over a smoldering fire. Han Nhem, a 42-year-old farmer, said the ceremony was not only to preserve the ancient tradition of fish catching, but also to create a joyful atmosphere for locals and tourists. “I have joined this event every year because it is the age-old tradition of our villagers here,”…

Whether you're enjoying the company of a loved one, indulging in some self-pampering, or basking in the affection of your pets, Valentine’s Day is a time for celebrating all kinds of love and warm feelings. But did you know that those gooey, heart-warming emotions come from your body’s “feel-good” hormones? Hormones like dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and endorphins are your body’s natural happiness boosters and the best part? You don’t need grand gestures or expensive gifts to activate them. You can spark joy and improve your mood with simple, science-backed activities that fit right into your lifestyle. Let’s explore some fun, easy-to-do happiness hacks to make you feel amazing this Valentine’s Day and every day after! Pets equal pure joy If you’re lucky enough to have a furry friend, you already…

A religious incident at a secondary school in Estcourt has triggered a storm in KwaZulu-Natal. Grave acts of intolerance have become a mutating problem for our global society. We protest at anything that we disagree with, no matter how trivial. Tolerance in our complex society has taken a back seat. The growing intolerance is exhibited daily in our deeds, words, and actions. Intolerance has manifold manifestations. The very term intolerant invokes moral condemnation. Our unwillingness to take real measures to address the subterranean violence that is present in our society, the cynical exploitation of fear, violence, and difference has become the norm in our traumatised global order. The world is awash with the victims of intolerance. Let us urgently display tolerance as we witness a new dawn. Tolerance is a…

I UNDERSTAND parents wanting their children taught in their home language. We all want that, but I also would want my child to know the lingua franca of the world, which is English, so they can move around and find a good job. But in South Africa the problem as I see it is that we have so many languages. We have 12 official languages and I’m not sure how many are unofficial. So here’s the start of the problem. Do we have enough teachers to teach the children in every subject in their home language? Methinks not and of course the ANC in their wisdom closed teacher training colleges. So a start would be to reopen as many as possible so we could produce these teachers. Also, how many…

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has been called on to ensure the recovery of the billions of rand in retirement funds that was allegedly siphoned off during the Steinhoff saga. Standing Committee on Finance chairperson Joe Maswanganyi said the SARB is not absolved of its responsibility and must ensure the recovery of funds belonging to workers. Maswanganyi said the Steinhoff investigations have not been shelved by the committee. The committee is awaiting supplementary information on progress with tracing the money and facilitating repayments. “The Steinhoff matter has never been taken off the agenda. The money owed to the state must be paid back, it is workers’ money that has to be recovered,” Maswanganyi said. “We are still awaiting reports on the matter from the PIC, the Reserve Bank and…

The ongoing water outages in eThekwini Municipality have led a senior councillor to question whether sabotage was taking place. This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa, during his State of the Nation Address (Sona), hailed the success of the eThekwini Presidential Working Group (EPWG) which was formed to address some of the pressing challenges in the city. The business community, which is represented in the group, acknowledged that there have been achievements, but said there were serious concerns regarding water and sanitation. Water, in particular, is a significant concern in the city. Numerous water outages have prompted chairperson of the Trading Services Committee, Mdu Nkosi, to raise questions about possible sabotage. The Trading Services Committee has oversight on the water and sanitation units. Nkosi called on the police to investigate the…

A JUDGE has emphasised the importance of media freedom and the public’s right to know about court outcomes. This was after an advocate, whose name was struck from the roll of advocates, wanted the court to declare that the media house and the journalist who reported on his matter were guilty of defamation. He reasoned that because he was appealing against the order striking him from the roll, it suspended the original order. Thus, he said, the media was not allowed to report on the matter. But Deputy Judge President Takalani Ratshibvumo, sitting in the Limpopo High Court, commented that the right of the public to hear of court outcomes when they unfold cannot be limited or delayed until the appeal outcome, all because the operation of the order is…

By 2030, nearly 40% of South African teachers will be eligible for retirement. This is according to a recent report from the Ministry of Education’s research and planning division. Professor Mbulu Madiba, dean of the Faculty of Education at Stellenbosch University, said this report along with a Unesco global report has highlighted a looming crisis in teacher supply and demand across the world, with dire consequences for education systems in developing regions such as sub-Saharan Africa. He highlighted the consequences this could have, such as larger class sizes, reduced educational quality, and economic repercussions that would hinder the country’s development. “The Unesco report serves as a wake-up call for policymakers in South Africa. A proactive approach to teacher recruitment, training, and retention is essential to avoid a full-blown education crisis.”…

IN A high-stakes summit at Dar es Salaam in Tanzania on Saturday, African leaders called for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict-ridden eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The urgent appeal at the joint Southern Africa Development Community-East Africa Community meeting comes amid escalating violence and a humanitarian crisis in the region. The leaders emphasised the need for “political and diplomatic engagement” to resolve the conflict, which has resulted in thousands of deaths and displaced multitudes of people. Aimed to address the crisis and find a sustainable solution in the DRC, the summit was attended by heads of state who included Kenyan President William Ruto and Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi joined the meeting virtually. Ruto, the current chair of the East African…

AFRICAN traditional medicines (ATMs) have been a cornerstone of healthcare for centuries, yet they remain underappreciated and underutilised in modern health systems. With the challenges facing mainstream healthcare in South Africa and across the continent, there is an urgent need to recognise the potential of indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) not only to improve health outcomes, but also to boost the economy. For many, particularly in rural areas, traditional medicines serve as the first line of treatment. These remedies, rooted in centuries of practice and observation, are used to manage pain, build immunity, treat wounds, and cure diseases. Despite this, scepticism abounds, primarily because these medicines have not always been validated by modern scientific methods. But science and tradition need not be at odds. On the contrary, empirical evidence from traditional…

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party on Saturday regained power in the nation’s capital for the first time in 27 years, a boost for the Hindu-nationalist leader after a disappointing national election last year. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party won 48 of the 70 seats in the Delhi capital district, well ahead of the 22 for the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of Arvind Kejriwal, a fierce critic of Modi, data from the Election Commission of India showed. “It is our guarantee that we will leave no stone unturned in developing Delhi, improving the overall quality of life for the people,” Modi wrote on X. AAP, which grew out of an anti-corruption movement in 2012, tasted its first electoral success in Delhi and has ruled the territory, which includes India’s parliament…

New Zealand will relax visa rules to attract more foreign investors, in efforts to stimulate economic growth, its centre-right government said yesterday. Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said the country’s investor visa category would be made “simpler and more flexible” to encourage investors to choose New Zealand for their “capital, skills and international connections”. “These changes will turbocharge our economic growth, bringing brighter days ahead for all Kiwis,” Stanford said in a statement. | Reuters…

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said that he has talked to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine, the New York Post reported at the weekend. In an interview aboard Air Force One Trump said that he had “better not say,” when asked how many times the two leaders have spoken. “He (Putin) wants to see people stop dying,” Trump told the New York Post. Neither the Kremlin nor the White House immediately responded to requests for comment. In late January, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Putin is ready to hold a phone call with Trump and Moscow is waiting for word from Washington that it is ready too. Trump said he would probably meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy next…